Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-10-20

| There was no possible show Tor ine Il
make break" said the OLD man. 81 wai
backed up 10 the stout stake, my hands aud
feet tied 10 Il lay strips OF green hide, ant
then they were ready 10 begin business.
saw thom getting their knives and toma
hawks ready To throw at me, aud In ns
desperation and despair | rallied oat at then
speaking tho FIRST words since my capture
| reviled and cursed them and dared then
To do their worst, aud while | was speaking
the sub-chief, who was the head of the VII
lage and whose name was Spotted Horse
threw up his arms and fell back dead"
The chief WAS no doubt predisposed Il
heart disease lie had been in the sadd!,
for six or seven hourg, laburing under \
leon excitement all the time, and IL need
ed only the increased excitement brought ON
by the hunters denunciation 10 precipitaio q
the fatal stroke. That the Indians consider.
ed ii an act of divine vengeance was plain
in "a moment, II l,aA scarcely known that
ho was dead before Tom was united aud
conducted back TO the lodge, and the village
III once went INTO mourning.
at was two days before they buried
him." said Tom, 'and meanwhile / was
well tFoatud bur closely guarded. On The
third day was taken out again. | hal
heard the reds disscussing the matter from
all staudpoints. Some contended that |
was an evil spirit, and il nat E6rmittea 10
Gepan wunid work them some terrible O.
lamity, while others argued that must be
burned and my ashes scattered 10
the winds To propitiate the evil one. Those
who held 10 the latter opinion were in The
majority. | was not To be tortured, bat
burned alive"
lie was tied TO the same stake, and the
faggots heaped around him, but just M
they were being lighted he hIaka out IN
iercr lallety again, HIS words affected the
whole crowd, but he would no doubt have
aid. The hush which had fallen upon tie
village was broken hy ftr OF roar, and a
moment later a cyclone swept into ths val
ley from the east ii.o raging lion. II
cG,na aud was gone in sixty seconds, and a
sad wreck was LEFT behind Every lplrn
was down and many carried away, while
many of the people were h.rt, and two chill
dren killed out right by falling limbs and
flying debris.
81 never saw Indians lose their heads as
those chaps did" said old Tom. 'I was
left quite alone Ga the next quarter of an
hour while those who had escaped unhurt
We're running about in A childish way. 1t
was just growing dusk when an Indian no-
ny was led up TO the stake hy the head chief
in person, l was cut loose 10y a warrior,
lifted upon the pony by two others, and
told by the chief that was at liberty 10 GO
| was too dazcd TO understand, hut they gave
the horse n slap and away we went. For
the next ten minutes was no better than
an idiot or 4 crazy man, but my sense final
ly returned and SAW through il. They re-
garded me as an evil spirit and wanted to
got rid Of me. Ny rifle was strapped TO the
saddle rs was every orner .Trrfcfr they -iffs's
taken from me, and they had given me one
af their best horses. Inside of two hours /
was back at our camp, but only TO find the
party gone. They had become alarmed and
moved about thirty miles up the stream,
where found them the next day."
Tom not only had the Comanche outfit TO
prove the truth of what he said but the
next year, when the chiefs of the tribe held
n powwow with gnvdrnment commission,
the entire story was told anew by the In
dians, and many inquiries were made rs TO
what had become of the white mans devil.
New York Sun.